Over 2.6 million Wisconsinites projected to be infected over course of outbreak

March 20, 2020

More than 2.6 million adult Wisconsinites are projected to be infected by COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic, according to a recent report from the Harvard Global Health Institute.

Plus, around 560,000 adults in the state are expected to be hospitalized, the report shows.

The report explores U.S. hospitals’ capacity for caring for coronavirus patients, and is meant to be used by health industry leaders and lawmakers as they respond to the evolving crisis.

It shows that Wisconsin currently has around 12,000 hospital beds. On average, the state has around 4,900 unoccupied hospital beds, according to the report.

But in six months, the state is projected to need around 37,000 hospital beds — more than triple the current total amount. A year from now, around 18,000 hospital beds will be needed in the state, the report shows.